The Riveter: A Sweeping Cross-Cultural Love Story of Sacrifice and Dreams in WWII Vancouver

by Jack Wang

In the vein of All the Light We Cannot See, a cross-cultural love story set against the dramatic backdrop of the Allied invasion of Europe during WWII.

Vancouver, 1942. Josiah Chang arrives in the bustling city ready to make a new life for himself. The Second World War is in full swing, and Josiah, like so many Canadians, wants to prove his loyalty by serving his country. But Chinese Canadians are barred from joining the army out of fear they might expect citizenship in return. So, Josiah heads to the shipyard where he finds work as a riveter, fastening together the ribs and steel plates of Victory ships. 

One night, Josiah spots Poppy singing at a navy club. Despite their different backgrounds, they fall for each other instantly, and soon Josiah is spending his nights at Poppy’s small wartime house. Their starry-eyed romance lasts until Poppy’s father comes to visit and the harsh reality of their situation is made clear. Determined to prove himself to Poppy, her parents, and the world, Josiah travels to Toronto where he’s finally given the chance to enlist. Josiah rises to the occasion, but is the world changing as fast as his dreams?  

From the critically acclaimed author of We Two Alone, Jack Wang’s gorgeous debut novel explores what one man must sacrifice to belong in the only home he has ever truly known. 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Canada, Historical, Romance, World War II, War

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2026

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Every rivet a bullet.”

I like to support Canadian authors, so when the synopsis of this book caught my attention, I knew I needed to read it. Stories about underappreciated or forgotten people or parts of our country’s history appeal to me.

Chang’s male main character is interesting! He leaves northern BC, and his employment in the forestry industry, to relocate to Vancouver. Unable to find housing, he camps out in Stanley Park and is hired to drive rivets as one of three in a rivet gang at Burrard Drydock. I was in awe of his attitude; wanting to prove his loyalty, he sees himself as an essential fighter of the good fight with a rivet gun in his hand.

Poppy Miller, the female main character, is just as interesting. She’s hired as a jitney driver at the Burrard Drydocks just as women enter the workforce to help with the war effort. Poppy ‘lived’ about a mile down the road from me and I was captivated with descriptions of wartime housing in my neighbourhood. I was in awe of her tenacity at a time when females experienced so many restrictions.

As I got further into the book, my heart ached for a group of people who were ostracized, facing inequality and injustice in our country at a time when everyone was needed and a united front was necessary. I was unaware of the government’s change in enlistment policy; at the start of the war, the Chinese were allowed to enlist, but when it was discovered that the potential reason could be for citizenship, government policy was changed. Seeing how this affected Josiah and his continual quest to prove himself was engaging. The reasons for his enlistment and his choice during advanced training were heartbreaking.

I was glued to the pages learning about the history of the Commodore Ballroom, how difficult it was to get alcohol in Vancouver during the war, why British subjects (Canadians) didn’t marry resident aliens, and what life was like in the shipyards. My only disappointments were (1) a slight struggle with the non-linear timeline and (2) the infrequent swearing.

Wang’s novel about a Chinese Canadian who served during WW2 was a worthwhile read because it held my attention and stirred my emotions. I was fascinated, wanting to learn more about the Chinese diaspora and the Chinese North American experience.

I was gifted this copy by House of Anansi Press Inc and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I haven’t wanted to read another war story in a very long time, but I saw so many good reviews -and it is Canadian-that I gave it a try. It turned out to be one of those books I always wanted to get back to reading and will go on my favourites and will recommend it widely. I hadn’t known much at all about the Chinese experience during the war-nor that they were not considered citizens , without a vote or able to marry non-Chinese without their wife losing her citizenship. Jack Wang wrote an effortless book to read and managed to make you feel as if you lived this war with these characters-actually-it felt more like reading narrative non-fiction. My kind of book.

[Mai H.]

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia

[Kristin Kurek · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think that another World War II novel is white noise, you would be wrong about The Riveter by Jack Wang. I can guarantee that this book offers a fresh perspective. The Riveter follows Josiah Chang, a man of Chinese descent living in Canada. Though his family has been living in Canada for multiple generations, people of Chinese descent are not granted citizenship. When Josiah falls in love with Poppy, a fascinating and beautiful Canadian woman, he wants nothing more than build a life with her. However, if they marry, she will lose her Canadian citizenship. Though people of Chinese descent cannot join the military in fear that they will expect citizenship, Josiah finds a way to join the fight.
This book tackles the themes of loyalty and identity with the most gorgeous prose. I found myself going back time and again to read passages about Josiah’s evolving understanding of himself in dynamic contexts as a son, a Canadian, a soldier, and a partner. What lengths would he go to become worthy of Poppy and the respect the country that he calls home? I found the book to be a refreshing exploration of self in the midst of a world in global chaos. Having finished the book, I ache to get to know Josiah more deeply as he comes to better understand himself. What a brilliantly written book!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Canadian author, Jack Wang that is set just before, during and after WWII and follows Josiah Chang, a Chinese Canadian without citizenship who falls hard for Poppy, a young white woman he meets in a bar while she's singing on stages. The two have a whirlwind interracial romance but the harsh reality of Josiah's status causes him to enlist in the hope he might be able to earn the right to be called an official Canadian.

Moving, heartbreaking, action-packed and educational, this book brings out all the emotions and was great on audio too. Highly recommended for fans of books like The laundryman's boy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review. I knew more about Japanese Canadians' experience during WWII but little about the Chinese Canadian experience and even less about parachuters during the war so this was a great read for me!

CW: abortion

[Lisa Butt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read something that isn't trashy (aka brain candy) I tend to gravitate towards books like this. Ordinary people during WW2. I found this book fascinating for a few reasons. That it was partly set in Vancouver in the 30s and 40s with places and events my grandmother used to reminisce about were described in detail. Fascinating in that its written from the viewpoint of a Canadian of Chinese descent and the racism and injustice that he faced in a country that didn't recognize him as Canadian. Also the descriptions of military training and the battles of war themselves I found fascinating but thankfully they were not overly grotesque. The book almost didn't need the love story but I suppose it bound the whole thing together, it gave the "why". A great read with food for thought.

[Jillian Wertzberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Precious little riveting

[Enid Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to read a solid, and very Canadian, historical fiction - that even comes with an acceptable modicum of romance - try this one.

Certainly Jack can write - as we say clearly in his debut collection of short stories, We Two Alone.

This shines a light on a chapter in our history that is less well known. I expect that most are familiar with the treatment of the Chinese in Canada in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. I hazard not a lot know that the systemic racism and discrimination - particularly of not being franchised - continued beyond the end of WW2 (and I’m certainly not saying that all is perfect even today…).

This was an enjoyable read and one that would work well for a book club.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me access to an early digital review copy - even though I have been tardy in getting this read and posted.

[Pat Glennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seldom finish a book as quickly as I did The Riveter. A true page-turner. Part All the Light We Cannot See, part Band of Brothers. Likable characters and a compelling story. Well done to first time novelist Jack Wang!

[Dennis McCrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review forthcoming

[Vic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never read novels about war, so I tried to expand my reading horizons. I was drawn in by the storyline of a Chinese Canadian man fighting in WWII, curious about how Josiah would have been treated in 1940s Vancouver, BC. As a Vancouverite, knowing all the areas of the city that were referenced helped me enjoy the story much more. Otherwise, I found myself confused or unsure of what was going on during the war portions of the book because I am not at all proficient in war terms, gear, or weapons. It was hard for me to feel the suspense as much as other history buffs may have.
What kept the story moving forward was Josiah and Poppy's complicated relationship. Their love for one another was well written, but the conflict was what kept me interested. There were two parts to the conflict, the first part being that their mixed race relationship was taboo during the time period, and the second being that Poppy did not want to wait for Josiah as he went off to fight in the war. It was such a real problem for many couples, I am sure, so I appreciated that Jack Wang explored that in the writing. I will say that the ending was beautifully done in such an emotional but unsappy way.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving historical novel about a Chinese-Canadian (although his Canadianness is not recognised by the state) who falls in love then joins the army, hoping to demonstrate that he deserves full citizenship. The research is superb and the writing also good, but I think Wang couldn't quite bear to give his main characters, Josiah Chang and Poppy Miller, real human flaws. He idealises them both in many ways, their attitudes and values carefully calibrated to demonstrate their excellence of character in terms that make sense to a twenty-first century reader. As a result, they both feel more like perfect cardboard cutouts than fully developed human beings with ordinary flaws and weaknesses. Josiah can be stubborn and emotionally controlled, for example, but these traits are part of his heroism. Poppy is sexually liberated in a way that would have been problematic in Vancouver in the 1940s, but her sexiness is part of her rebellion, which most readers can only approve, as well as a necessary element of the plot. It all feels just a bit too glossy, a bit too neat. But I'm grateful to Wang for addressing an aspect of Canada's history--its long, shameful exclusion of Chinese-Canadians from full citizenship--that has received too little attention.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. Josiah is such a great character and I appreciated his strength and determination. I loved all the Canadian mentions and Josiah’s perspective as a Chinese person and soldier. The story is beautifully written and the jump of timelines added to the character development and worked for me, as I felt like i really came to know the characters. 5⭐️

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never been interested in WWII fiction, but reading it from a person of color’s perspective, a Chinese-Canadian nonetheless, felt necessary and compelling.

[Harrison Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another instant classic

[Abby Tait · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere around 2.5-3 stars for me. The Riveter is a decent historical fiction that offers a new pov on the war - it’s set predominantly in Canada and is from the pov of a Chinese man. The book falls flat because the romance - which is the propelling narrative of the story for the reader and for Josiah himself - was completely underdeveloped, and this impacted the overall success of the novel for me. It’s basically the insta love trope and they have very little chemistry, which meant that I didn’t think they had a believable foundation to carry them through an entire war. Characters were a bit shallow and there was very little real nuanced exploration of what it was like to move through society as an Asian man in Canada during this time, which felt like a missed opportunity. Also the context with which Josiah enlists in the army felt like a slight overreaction lol, dude needs a better coping mechanism.

Also I’m definitely burnt out on WW2 historical fiction, but that’s not the book’s fault lol.

[Pat Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Riveter by Jack Wang is a gripping story of World War Two, told from a Chinese-Canadian perspective. Josiah Chang is a logger-turned-riveter in the Vancouver shipyards, contributing to the war effort through his skilled work as the Chinese were forbidden from enlisting in the armed services. Eventually, Josiah found his way into the First Canadian Parachute Battalion. Most of the novel focuses on his training and fighting as the Allied forces churn their way east to Berlin. The book covers the period from 1942 to early 1946.

Josiah has fallen in love with Poppy Miller, an exuberant, confident beauty who also worked at the shipyards. She did not want him to leave, and their letters and rare phone calls shakily maintain their romance over the distance and experience that separate them. Josiah is fully committed to her, often summoning a memory of their brief time together to bolster his morale as he lies in a wet trench or marches along muddy roads.

Wang immerses us in Josiah’s story with a short prologue: we are in the airplane with him as he is about to jump. We feel it viscerally: being in the plane is like being in “a tin can batted around by a bear.” We quickly discern that this is D-day and he will land in Normandy. Then the book goes back two years for the backstory—Josiah at the shipyards, his relationship with Poppy, and the gritty reality of his training at various Canadian bases and one American one. This was Fort Benning, Georgia, at that time the only base for training paratroopers in North America. Josiah has encountered racism in Vancouver, and knew he always stood out among his fellow soldiers. In Georgia, his complicated feelings come to the fore as he didn’t know whether he belonged with the segregated Black servicemen or with the Canadians.

Historical fiction always faces the challenge of providing the reader with enough details for immersion in the period, without overwhelming her. Wang has accomplished this successfully. I learned a lot, while maintaining emotional engagement. I flinched at the visceral descriptions of combat and empathized with Josiah and Poppy in their separation.

The Riveter introduced me to another untold story of Canadian World War Two history. I’m sure there are many more, and I recommend this one.

[Nazareth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this…at first.
It had elements that I really love in it.
Familiar places, set at home(primarily), is a historical fiction piece, set in WW2…but, then it had an aspect that is not typically my go-to.
Romance.
And while I wasn’t put off about the romance aspect of it, since a lot of war stories involve some element of romantic affairs…as I read this book, I found it hard to enjoy this particular part.

I did like that the couple was atypical for the time, and that they were going against the grain of the law. While Josiah was born in this country, he still only bore his grandparents’ temporary landed immigrant status. He was not a legal citizen of the country. On top of that, he was of Chinese descent. Which made it impossible for him to join the war efforts in Europe. Somehow, though, he managed to find a way to get in. Especially since he was on the run and thought the authorities would be after him after a fight in the shipyard.
Ironically, due to his background and work experience…he was able to show the military what he was made of. While he didn’t earn the respect of the country immediately, and didn’t gain citizenship, even after serving for his country, he was still proud of his service. He had written a letter to the premiere to help try and convince the government to start allowing those of Chinese descent, born in this country and who served to gain citizenship. By proving that they were loyal to the country they called home. The country they were born into, the country that they’d lived in their entire lives. He decided to write this letter, after he was approached by another former Chinese veteran seeking to make a branch for the Chinese veterans at the Canadian Legion. A hope that was rejected. Even though Josiah didn’t expect change to be made, he did come to learn that him marrying a woman of Canadian Citizenship(even if her family had been there a lot less time than his, solely due to his Chinese heritage) status, wouldn’t cost her hers. Whereas, before, if he had married a Canadian woman, she would have lost her citizenship.

The love story side of everything…
The romance starts off rather quickly. At first it’s a couple looks. Mostly from Josiah. And him catching her and another man, Jimmy, coming out of a warehouse in the shipyard. Women were just being allowed to enter the shipyard to work, and there were many reservations from the executive males. Mostly, for that very reason. However, Poppy, managed to maintain her job. Despite being considered indiscreet.
She sighted Josiah, most prominently, in a shipyard tug-o-war and found him quite appealing. He heard her sing at a talent show…and then met her afterwards. From that point on, they found any, and almost every reason to be together.
Her parents didn’t approve. Josiah and Poppy wanted to get married. Poppy didn’t want Josiah to go to war, because she didn’t want him to leave and she didn’t want to wait for him. And she told him so. Then he got in a scrap and went on the run. Back east.
He left. He joined the army. He went through training. He met men whom he thought would be less discriminatory in the army, only to find out they weren’t.
He and Poppy sent letters back and forth. Josiah also sent postcards to track his travels.
He remained faithful to her.
She did to him…almost. She had a moment.
When he finally came back from war, he learned the truth…and left again. Not for war this time, even though that was kind of the plan(but the war was done before they had been deployed), but to another region of the province. He built a house.
One day, Poppy shows up…sans expected surprise…but with something else.
And even though, Josiah was still angry and still bitter…
Well, it’s a romance story.

There were some characters in this story that I really loved reading about. Van den Berg was one of them, in fact he was probably my favourite. Walker was a character I enjoyed. A no-nonsense kind of guy. Syd Antoine was a kind little chap. I felt really bad for Bill. Overall, the story wasn’t bad. It was an okay read, for me…but I’m sure others, who love this genre and era, might thoroughly enjoy it.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I really picked up the book, I raced through it. This is a fairly easy read, but do not mistake "easy read" for being synonymous with lazy in any way. This is a beautifully written. I think Wang does a great job of balancing a simplistic, action-focused narrator against beautiful metaphors and descriptions that transform something as simple as a spotlight into a symbol of all-encompassing love.

I attended one of his readings before starting the book properly, so I am aware he did a lot of historical research for this. But while I was reading, I was struck by how much I could feel his respect for the history through his writing--never overstepping the line into embellishment or over exaggeration just to get across some horror of war. He's pretty brief and straightforward in, but that briefness is vital in allowing the barbarity to shine through. This style, too, feels really important to the commentary about being Asian during WWII in Canada. I could feel my experiences reflected in the main character's experiences, even though they're so different. There's something about the briefness of Josiah's thoughts that holds a world beneath them, and I think that alone is worth reading this book for.

I think the war goes by fairly quickly, and a lot of those characters really start blending together since it's hard to remember who is who. I kind of feel like maybe you should just pick two to really remember and then the rest is just a shrug. I wish there was a little more to fill out their profiles upon an initial meeting, and then more reminders when we re-encounter them, so they'd all be a bit more memorable. Upon reflection, I think a few of them felt more like they existed to be tools in the story to talk about war, rather than full characters. Some of that is me, some of that is the writing in general, and some of that is writing a character specifically like Josiah who feels like he doesn't catch onto a lot.

A "war novel" isn't really my thing, but I ended up really enjoying this, and I think that is because it intertwines the concepts of love, race, and war so much so that you can't care about one without caring about the outcome of the other. The characters are endearing and noble, yet deeply human and fallible. The sense of profound love they have feels so natural and well-understood from the start that it becomes easy to see how it is a driving force of their lives and this novel. This is a solid debut novel that builds on "We Two Alone" and delivers on what I was missing from that short story collection.

[Lyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a debut novel from Canadian author, Jack Wang. I know I have a winner in my hands when I can’t wait to finish the book, yet, I also want to take time to savour it and prolong the story. It appeals to me to read historical novels about under appreciated or overlooked people, who belong in our Canadian history. This is an incredible historical novel. I loved it. Author Jack Wang was inspired by Richard Mar, the first and only Chinese-Canadian to join and serve in the revered 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, an Army airborne infantry battalion that was formed in 1942. It had a remarkable reputation for having completed the objectives of every mission they were assigned.

In this novel, we follow a Chinese Canadian man named Josiah Chang who was born and raised in Canada. While employed as a lumberjack, Josiah, like so many Canadians, wanted to prove his loyalty by serving his country. He moves to join a shipyard in Vancouver, as many other Chinese Canadians did. Once in Vancouver, Josiah meets Poppy, a singer who works with him in the shipyard. Buoyed by his love for Poppy, Josiah finds himself fighting injustice. It’s fascinating how Chinese Canadians had the courage to sacrifice their lives for Canada when they didn't even have full citizenship rights, and couldn’t vote. The government would not allow them to join the military in fear that returning soldiers would expect citizenship.

Their starry-eyed romance lasted until Poppy’s father came to visit and the harsh reality of their situation was made very clear to Josiah. If they married, Poppy would lose her Canadian citizenship. Determined to prove himself to Poppy, her parents, and the world, Josiah travels to Toronto where finds a way to join the fight and is finally given the chance to enlist.

I hope Mr. Wang will continue on this path of historical novels. FABULOUS! I will certainly be reading his next book.

[Mish Middelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me as an immigrant to Canada this book filled in several gaps. The bulk of the narrative is a Canadian World War 2 story and I learned a lot about the role of Canadians in the Allied war effort in Europe. This seems relevant as history and as a warning. As I read the book, the world teeters through bigger and bigger regional wars and closer to something even more devastating. Its greatest powers are actively dismantling the international order set up "to end world wars" after World War 2. It seems that too few of the current generations on earth still heed the lessons of the previous century.

The other area I learned a lot - and had my heart torn - was in the love story that drives our lead character to enlist in the war. He's fourth generation Canadian-born but he doesn't have citizenship. His story shows us another aspect of the bigotry that riddles the world - in this case Canadian law that not only denied citizenship to Canadian-born people of Chinese descent, but stripped Canadian citizenship from any Canadian woman who married such a person.

I am sad to hear this piece of Canadian history, reminded of its parallels with the equally ugly treatment given to people of Japanese descent in Canada (see Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto), and glad those particular laws have been changed.

The story is fiction; the historical setting including the unjust laws are fact, and there was a single paratrooper of Chinese descent in the first Canadian Parachute Battalion. I was deeply engaged by the story, felt the pain and craziness and sheer determination of fighters in the war, and felt the heartache of the lovers at the heart of the personal story. At times I felt the story came very close to being melodramatic.

[Susan Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Chinese Canadian Josiah Chang is a strong character who meets Poppy Miller while working in a shipyard in British Columbia in 1942. They fall hard for one another but her father won't give his consent for them to marry since Poppy will lose her citizenship if she marries a resident Chinese alien like himself. So after a fight with a guy in the shipyard, Josiah runs off to join the army thinking fighting for Canada might help him obtain his citizenship and marry Poppy. He opts to prove himself further by training with an elite unit as a paratrooper and landing in Normandy during D-Day. He has some harrowing experiences with his regiment while fighting through France, Holland and Germany ... as well as trying to stop a couple atrocities and crimes he sees from happening. And along the way, he becomes a veteran soldier all the while corresponding with Poppy in B.C. who worries for his safety as she continues work at the shipyard.
In some sense The Riveter is much like a traditional WWII story but from a Chinese Canadian perspective where Josiah's the only one of his race in his regiment (which apparently was historically the case). He endures flak for it but proves his worth and sacrifice time & again. By the time the war wounds down, you need to stick with it to see if he survives and if Poppy and Josiah will stay together post-war after so much time apart. Will they be able to be together? That is the question. There is a little twist near the end that I didn't foresee and it threw a new hurdle into the mix.
All in all, I learned a bit more about WWII and its paratroops from the Canadian side. The novel is fairly easy to read but there is a density to the pages that took me a while to get through the book. By the end, it felt like I had journeyed far & wide with Josiah.

[Tom Axworthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting novel, one part romance, another part on the theme on racism and lastly a war novel recounting the history of the First Canadian Parachute Battalion which fought in Normandy, the Ardennes , then crossed the Rhine into Germany.Wang brings these three elements together in his story of Josiah Chang ( based in part on a real figure Richard Mar of Vancouver).Chang is a logger with his Dad in Caribou country in BC but , after the death of his father, Chang moves to Vancouver where he gets a job as a riveter in a shipyard expanding hugely to meet the needs of the Second World War.There he meets Poppy a free spirited white woman who is one of the first woman to be hired at the yard.Both Josiah and Poppy are groundbreaking as neither orientals nor women had such jobs before the war.The two inevitability fall in love and become engaged but the father of Poppy makes it clear that as Josiah is excluded from Canadian citizenship he must pass this hurdle before marrying his daughter. Josiah joins an elite Parachute battalion in the expectation that after the war ,service like this in serving Canada must finally merit the granting of rights.Much of the rest of the novel describes vividly Josiah 's experience in the war. The Riveter describes well both the racism of pre war Canada and the horrors of war. This is a good historical fiction novel which describes a history that most readers would not know wrapped within a romance between two strong characters.

[Shree G · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an adrenaline rush! The first chapter was spectacular and edge-of-the-seat madness. Jack Wang is a gifted writer. His prose is easy on the eyes, and so very descriptive, it brings the scene alive during the reading.

The battle scenes were really well written and engaging. I've read tons of books and watched movies about Normandy and the French Allied battles, but they were all attacks from the sea. This one was about an airdrop and also from the eyes of a Canadian parachute regiment, so added to the joy of reading. Many war situations brought back scenes from the movies 1917 and Dunkirk - a vast green pastoral land, the French countryside, and the barbed wire fences that were designed to prevent aircraft from landing on the green patches.

Josiah and his Chinese ancestry highlighted the plight of non-native, non-'Caucasian' Canadians (back in the early 1940s and I'm guessing - even now), despite his family living in Canada for generations. Throughout Josiah's journey, the constant shadow of racism and discrimination made me more and more unsettled, and almost angry towards the end. The author effectively uses it to remind the reader that we might be in the 21st century, but still haven't let go of our ego and superiority complex.

This Stoic story about love, longing, valor, patriotism, and friendship is a sweeping tale that was written really well, and I enjoyed reading it.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a lot of World War II books, and I was quick to grab this one because it was about Canadians during the War. Books with Canadian characters are few and far between on my shelf. I enjoyed learning about Canada's WWII participation and hope that more Canadian-focused books will be published and come my way.

Josiah Chang lives in Canada, but cannot become a citizen because he is Chinese. He meets and falls in love with Poppy, a Caucasian Canadian citizen. I also appreciate that this book broached the topic of interracial relationships during the 1940s. It provided a window as to how society struggled with accepting Josiah and Poppy as a couple. After facing an act of racism by beating up a coworker, Josiah hastily leaves Vancouver.

Josiah eventually joins the service, and he and Poppy endure the war miles apart. Communication between the two leaves both wondering about the terms on which Josiah left and trying to maintain connection through hardships.

The one part of the book that I didn't enjoy was that there seemed to be too many detailed battle scenes. I understand that it IS a book about war, though editing a scene or two out would not take away from the story. I admit I started to skim a page here and there to get to the next part.

I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to be reading a lot of novels lately about or encompassing the World Wars – not by choice but by coincidence. But I am very glad I found Wang’s “The Riveter”. If you will pardon the pun, it is a truly riveting novel.

The novel opens in 1942 as Josiah Chang, a young Chinese man, arrives in Vancouver after working for years in logging camps in Northern BC with his father. At that time in Canadian history, Chinese residents were not allowed to be citizens or serve in the Canadian armed forces.

Josiah gets a job as a riveter in a shipyard building battleships for the Canadian Navy. He enters into a relationship with the striking and defiant Poppy who also works at the shipyard. But a violent incident in the shipyard forces him to flee to Toronto where he is able to enter the Canadian Army.

The balance of the novel follows Josiah’s time as a paratrooper experiencing all the horrors of war, as well as the camaraderie that develops between soldiers, as he tries to survive and find his way back to Poppy. He eventually comes full circle back to Vancouver where he is confronted with the price that time and distance takes on a relationship.

“The Riveter” is a cross-cultural love story set against the backdrop of the horrors of the Allied invasion of Europe. It is both impeccably researched and beautifully written.

[Matt Hobson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man I don’t know. This is another one that is important. It deals with big themes. Themes the world needs to be exposed to more often. So I don’t want to shoot down this book more than I need to, but again, same as Wicked, it just wasn’t very good.

The plot moved okay. I had some issues, namely with the utter predictability of Josiah and Poppy’s relationship drama. Also I thought it odd that through the entire war Josiah barely picked up an injury. I had issues with Josiah too. The big one being that he was too damn perfect. We’re introduced to him as this gorgeous man that women love after seeing him, he apparently nearly singlehandedly wins a tug of war, he’s impossibly good. Through the war he never meets a superior who doesn’t love him, which is odd to begin with but especially odd given the racism that I’d have thought would be prevalent at the time. The attempts to show Josiah’s weakness felt forced, and I don’t know. He just wasn’t a character I could connect to.

I don’t know. I just couldn’t get very into this book. I almost DNFed it in the first 20% or so, and while it grew on me a bit it definitely wasn’t anything special. It just felt lacking in any subtlety and lacking in any depth, which was odd considering the huge themes it tackles.

[Heather Kidd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel teeter tottered between interesting and a little dry. I found it strange that it was titled the Riveter when very little was devoted to the time Josiah was a riveter in the Vancouver shipyard. In fact it was more about his time as a paratrooper and soldier. Should’ve been titled the Paratrooper.

The writing was rather dry and read more like narrative nonfiction. However the history of the Chinese in Canadian at that time period was interesting. The story did give a good look at some not so well known history and different people groups experiences during that time. But so many descriptions of people were vague and I could never get a good picture in my head of any of the characters other than the main two. There were lots of vague references to other racial problems.
I found Josiah is not a likeable character but he does come across as true life—full of complicated feelings and motivations. In fact I wondered time and time again if the story was based on a real person. It does give a sense of society during that time.
All in all it’s a good read and I’m glad I read it. Nice to read WW2 from Canadian perspective and Chinese Canadian perspective.

[RMazin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Vancouver Josiah Chang realizes that both he and Canada are at a crossroads. It’s 1942 and Jack has been working clearing forest lands alongside his father. With the death of his dad, young Jack finds work as a riveter in a shipyard. He can contribute there to the war effort since the Chinese population is not able to join the service. Here he meets the alluring Poppy, a spirited white woman, and they quickly fall in love. But as the war intensifies, Jack wants to prove himself, as a Canadian and as a man worthy of Poppy. He journeys to Toronto where he can finally enlist and after stateside training, he is deployed in Europe as a paratrooper. About two thirds of the book is comprised of his overseas wartime experiences which encompass the mundane of daily living to the adrenalin pumping battlefields.

The author’s descriptions of the Canadian home front romance and the European exploits are very well done. This book gives voice to a WWII experience not often chronicled. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for providing this title.

[Dulcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began Canadian author Jack Wang's The Riveter a few weeks before the Liberation Day celebrations in the Netherlands, where my father, like Jack's protagonist, served during WWII. I believe having read the book in advance, I was even more moved by the Dutch crowds grateful celebration of Canadians in May 2025. The timing was coincidental but I was thankful to Wang for crafting a narrative that felt so personal and touching. I write creative nonfiction, and while The Riveter is a novel, it had the feel of a true story, making it that much more compelling to me as a reader. Having grown up in Vancouver, I stepped alongside as his narrative wound its way from the Vancouver industrial waterfront to Stanley Park to North Vancouver. Wang is a storyteller that draws his readers in to join him on a journey of life, love and loss, and I was grateful to be with him every step of the way.
Dulcie McCallum
Author of The Audacity of Inclusion